Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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2248.To ask the Minister for Health to include in the estimates and service plan for the health services for the coming year the appointment of a post (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32141/24]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge and note the Deputy's request highlighted in this PQ.

As part of Programme for Government - Our Shared Future, this Government committed to supporting health care workers by, amongst other actions, increasing the number of public-only consultants in our hospitals. In order to meet this commitment, the Public Only Consultants Contracts (POCC) was introduced in May 2023, the purpose of which is to address patients' needs by ensuring the on-site presence of senior decision makers at times when demand is greatest.

The success of this policy can be measured by the fact that 2,278 Consultants signed up to the POCC between May 2023 and May 2024. It is very much my intention as Minister for Health to build on this very positive recruitment over the comings years, and plans for 2025 are under consideration as part of the upcoming estimates and budget process.